Black Cats old boy Djibril Cisse joined Barton on the sidelines when he was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute for a two-footed lunge on striker Fraizer Campbell.

By then, the visitors were already trailing to Nicklas Bendtner’s opener five minutes before the break.

Cisse’s shameful exit, his second sending-off since his £4million January arrival from Lazio, signalled the end for relegation-threatened QPR.

Sunderland winger James McClean then celebrated the new three-year deal he signed this week by adding his side’s second goal in the 70th minute.

Stephane Sessegnon struck six minutes later before QPR left-back Taye Taiwo pulled one back within two minutes with a curling free-kick that keeper Simon Mignolet could only help into the net.

Skipper Barton was booed by his own fans and hauled off after an hour of the dramatic 3-2 home win over Liverpool in midweek, when replacement Jamie Mackie completed an amazing late comeback with a last-ditch clincher.

Barton was dropped to the bench after a display he admitted on Twitter was “awful’’ and the worst of his career.

Before the game yesterday, he tweeted: “All-time low ... 2 ways out. 1 work hard. 2 work harder.’’

But the former Newcastle midfielder’s exertions were confined to flashing five fingers at Black Cats fans as a reminder of their humiliating 5-1 defeat on Tyneside last season.

Barton could face an FA probe for inciting the crowd but Hughes was in the dark over the incident, saying: “I wasn’t aware – I was watching the game.

“Joey has been struggling for form and didn’t have a particularly good game on Wednesday, which was well-documented. He accepted my decision with good grace and very professionally, as I would expect him to.’’

Sunderland had chances from Craig Gardner, Jack Colback and Sessegnon before they went in front through Bendtner.

The Danish striker rose comfortably to head home McClean’s left-wing centre and hand Sunderland the lead.

Cisse’s moment of madness came seconds after Gardner – now operating at full-back with John O’Shea picking up another injury – had thundered a free-kick against the underside of the bar.

McClean’s persistence was rewarded when, after his first shot was blocked by Luke Young, the follow-up squirmed in via a deflection off Nedum Onuoha.

He then released David Vaughan on the left to cross low for Sessegnon to finish from close range.

Sunderland now host Everton in an FA Cup Quarter-Final replay on Tuesday and boss Martin O’Neill said: “It sets us up in terms of confidence.

“I’m delighted – some of the goals were excellent.

“I thought James McLean was magnificent, he was a constant threat. He made the first goal, scored one himself, and helped with the third.’’